There are many children masquerading as adults – Simply because someone is chronological 45 years old, has a professional job, is married and has three children, doesn’t make then an adult.
Category: palliative care
I love my job as a Palliative Care doctor. There is nothing that I look forward to more on a Monday morning than meeting with our team, solving problems and helping to relieve suffering in our patients and their families. It compels me out of bed early and is the only job that I see
The biggest lesson that caring for the dying can teach you — reflections of a Palliative Care Doctor
A few weeks ago I finished my Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine from the Royal Australian College of Physicians. Without a doubt, it has the best and most challenging year of my clinical career. It had such a profound effect on my life that I’ve decided to go all in and live the rest of
“Jonathan you have to come in. There’s been an incident with Brian* and the other residents and families are scared, I don’t know what to do!”. *Names changed for privacy* The panicked voice on the other end was an aged care nurse whom I’d worked with closely and whose clinical judgment I respected and relied
“So what actually happens in this place?” Simon asked, his question caught me off guard. Trying to understand where he was coming from, I replied “What do you mean?”. “Well I’ve been here for a week and I’m still not sure what actually happens in the hospice,” Simon said, still looking back at me, searching
I am privileged to write and contribute to Palliverse with this piece about operative decision making and providing compassionate and caring end of life care. As our population ages and we are called to be decision makers for our loved elders, let their end of life wishes guide us. Palliverse is lucky to have a
“How do we live fully so we are fully ready to die?” Ann Voskamp — One Thousand Gifts pg 29 This one sentence has echoed through my mind since I read it a few months ago. It is utterly amazing in the way revelation hits you at the right moment and this one thought has had a profound effect
Photo by Jake Thacker on Unsplash “Anne, I think the reason that you’ve been more forgetful lately is because you have early dementia….” my voice cracked with emotion as I delivered the bad news. I’d never cried infront of a patient before but sheer will couldn’t contain the salty tears that flowed down my cheeks. Anne’s
“Jonathan, there is a phone call for you” my wife called out from the kitchen. It was 9pm and Jenny, one of senior registrered nurses from the nursing home was on the line. “I think Howard’s declining quickly Jonathan, the carers have just taken him back to bed and they’ve said that he’s had trouble
Albany wind farm This post is a year overdue. If I were to have written this in April 2015, the title would have been “The tale of two deaths” where I would have reflected upon the peaceful, managed and expected passing of a 93-year-old aged care patient contrasted with the tragic accidental death of a…
